The Bachelorette Party
Page 16
At first Nicole was a little angry with her because she thought that it was time that Keisha grew up and changed her ways. But then Nicole realized that she couldn’t change her friends. They were who they were, and for whatever reason, she’d chosen them as her friends. They should accept themselves for who they were, as long as none of them were intentionally being hurtful.
Nicole had to admit, at the end of the day, none of them really wanted Keisha to change, because it was her craziness that they all loved about her. Keisha said and did things that most only thought about but wouldn’t dare say or do. You had to respect someone like that. Whenever anyone was down and needed a pick-me-up, Keisha could be counted on to keep it real—maybe a little too real. People knew immediately where they stood with her, and that was what people respected. She still loved the clubs and partying but was always one of the first ones there if any of her friends needed her.
Valerie put her arm around Keisha as she leaned in to kiss Kimmy. She had closed on the building, and her day-care center was thriving. Valerie’s life was simple and carefree. She said that marriage and children would be nice, but she was not worried about it if it didn’t happen. Keisha still would tease her and say she was becoming an “old settler.” But Valerie knew that she was content and loved her drama-free life. Men of all colors and status asked her out, but she warned them at the door that there would be no sex. It wasn’t a religious decision, just a personal one, and she didn’t care if others didn’t get it. At Nicole’s bachelorette party, Valerie never got a chance to reveal her secret or say if she had one. What was Valerie’s secret? Did she have one? She insisted she didn’t, and everyone believed she was telling the truth.
Nicole rubbed her stomach. Five months ago, she discovered she was pregnant. The doctors had been monitoring her very closely, and although they had advised her not to get pregnant, Nicole knew it was God’s will. Alan constantly called her during the day to check up on her.
Nicole felt that God had blessed her. In her heart, she knew that their baby would be fine. She and Alan found out that they were having a girl. When she asked Alan what they should name her, he said, “Why not Adrienne?” Alan’s suggestion brought tears to Nicole’s eyes. How could she help loving this caring, sensitive man.
When Nicole announced her pregnancy, Denise immediately told her that she would be planning the biggest baby shower ever! Nicole smiled at the memory. Gotta love Denise. At least she’s consistent.
Nicole looked toward the pew where Tisha had sat in her dream and thought about something her nana had once told her: “You know, baby, some people are not meant to go the distance with you. They are only on the train of your life until their stop comes up. And then they got to get off, baby. Some are here for a season and a reason, and fewer for a lifetime, ’cuz dat’s the way it’s s’pose to be.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There are so many people to thank that it could actually be another novel, but I want to first give thanks to God for blessing my life! My brother, Vernon, who is so proud of his big brother. My editor, Melody Guy, who found me in cyberspace and believed in me since our first phone conversation. To the One World/Ballantine staffers: “Thank you for everything!”
Much love to Ruth Blake, Beck Davis, Zeus Benitez, Delores Wilson, Esq.—my attorney and friend for seventeen years. “Has it really been that long?” The Manley family, Rodrick Paulk, Phillip Fields, Michael Tyler, the Garcias, all my kids, Tamika Patton, Vivian Harmon, Will Smith, Sr., the Smith Family, Shoneji Loraine.
To Fred Thomas, Jr., and Chris M. Dabney, my friends and business partners, the entire cast of The Bachelorette Party stage play, and to every actor ever cast in a Don B. Welch production. Dawnn Lewis, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Ananda Lewis, Callie Rogers, Sharon O. Walker, and Freda Payne—my sisters for life. Evan Reynolds, Betty Spivey, Judy Pace, Tatyana Ali, Lynn Hamilton, Hill Harper, Loretta Devine, LaWanda Page, Mary White, Catarah Hampshire, Steven Gibbs, Wade Redcross, Jason Overstreet, José Alvarado, N. D. Brown, Brenda Vivian, Dorien Wilson, “Terezen,” “Leola,” Scherrie Payne, Kevin King, Jana Babatunde-Bey, Dwayne Dantzler, Alex Velasquez, Dominick Reyes, Anna Maria Horsford, Patti LaBelle, Jefferey Turner, DeVida Jenkins, Gayle Samuels, Bill Golden, Charles T., Teddy R., Dez Coleman-Jackson.
To my Maryland and Philly extended families, Kenny and Chante Lattimore, Donn Swaby, Veronica Galvan, Cassi Davis, Steve M. To Ginuwine: “my talented new brother.” Also love to Elisa P., Jarvis M., Juanita H., Mike Rivera, Orlando Berrios, Kenya Dean, Roland and Rose Dunston, “Nicky,” “Mandy,” “Brittney,” “Ciara,” “Jeff, Jr.,” Steve Page, Marla Gibbs, Mary Wilson, Eleanor Jean Hendley, Latoya Pollitt, Tony Pollitt, Kyle Pollitt, Carolyn Pollitt, Louise Crawford, Mary White, Snap, Atif, Damon and Ramon, Ronald Young, Elisa T., Tanya Kersey, Fleace Weaver, Richard F., Sandra Kitt, Eddie Goines, Adam Wade, Alex Hamilton, Pam Jones, Steve Abram, Michael Letterlough, Jr., Contrella P. Henry, Danny A., Carol Roberts, Claudia Adams, Keith Burke, Kiyano Lavin, Allen Adams, Gail Silver, Anita Davenport, Pastor(s) Barry and Kimberly Lyons, Kenyon Glover, Paul Jerome, Terell Daluz, Rylan Williams, “Anju,” Claudia Adams, Joahn Webb, Donna Gibbs-Jones, Lisa Thompson, Jay Jones, Raufel, Charmaine, “Hatch,” and all the girls of the BP stage play: Kiki, Shoneji, Raquel, Caryn, Cerall, Khalilah, Audrey, Emayatsy, Tiffany, Nicole, Brenda, Janora, Milauna, Tanjereen, Annette, Mylika, Paulette, Roman, Sabah, and Keena. To Professor Sandra Johnson—thank you for everything you’ve done for me with this book and for many years of friendship. Thank you all for touching my life!
To those who I forgot, I’ll get you in the second novel.
DONALD WELCH is an accomplished singer, actor, director, producer, and writer of sixteen stage plays, two television pilots, and the screenplay “Silence.” He has also written for his friend, actor Will Smith, and recently sold him the film rights of The Bachelorette Party for a feature film. As an actor he has co-starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Cosby. Don served as a celebrity judge for the Miss America Pageant (2000 and 2004). The Bachelorette Party is his first novel. He divides his time between Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Visit the author at myspace.com/donbwelch or e-mail him at info@donbwelchproductions.com.
“My mother made my dreams possible,
Will & Jada made them probable,
but my faith made them a reality.”
—Donald Welch
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR
The Bachelorette Party
“The writing is SUPERB! The biggest laugh and cry I have had in a long time.” —FREDA PAYNE, singer
“Don’s writing brings to life the diversity of women’s issues with honesty and emotion.”
—KENNY LATTIMORE, singer
“The Bachelorette Party has me convinced that Don Welch bugged the ladies’ room and has been listening to all our dirt for years.” —ANNA MARIA HORSFORD, actress
“The Bachelorette Party is a wild ride on the secret side of what we ladies laugh about, cry about, try to hide from our friends…and even at times ourselves! The stage play is a must-see…this book, a must-read!”
—DAWNN LEWIS, actress, singer, composer, producer
“Don writes as if he were a fly on the wall in a group therapy session.” —FRED THOMAS JR., director, filmmaker
The Bachelorette Party is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A One World Books Trade Paperback Original
Copyright © 2008 by Donald Welch
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by One World Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
ONE WORLD is a registered trademark and the One World colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Welch, Donald.
The bachelorette party: a novel / Donald Welch.
p. cm.
1. Young women—Fiction. 2. Friendship—Fiction. 3. Weddings—Fiction. 4. Parties—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3623.E463B33 2008
813'.6—dc22 2008005077
www.oneworldbooks.net
eISBN: 978-0-345-50765-5
v3.0